Posts Tagged ‘Delaware Health and social services’
Del. to Issue Monthly Emergency Benefits Thursday
The Delaware Division of Social Services will issue emergency benefits for August to eligible households, as part of the state’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The SNAP emergency food benefit will be available on recipients’ EBT cards today (Thursday). Eligible households enrolled in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and General Assistance will…
Read MoreUpdate: Judge Upholds Del. Auditor’s Subpoena of Medicaid Information from DHSS
Update: Delaware State Auditor Kathy McGuiness released a statement Thursday regarding a judge’s decision to uphold her subpoena for Medicaid information from DHSS: Judge Karsnitz released his decision in our court case with the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) regarding our requests to audit Medicaid spending. My office fought for nearly two…
Read MoreDel. Overdose Deaths Reach Monthly High In May 2022
Delaware health officials are concerned that more lives may be lost at a faster rate due to overdose connected to deadly fentanyl or the increasing use of cocaine.According to Delaware Health and Social Services, 42 people died in May of suspected overdoses, based on findings from the Delaware Division of Forensic Science. That is a…
Read MoreDHSS: Del. Overdose Deaths Rose 15% In 2021
Overdoses claimed the lives of 515 people in Delaware in 2021, a record for one year and a 15% increase from 2020.The Delaware Division of Forensic Science annual report also indicates that 425 of those 515 deaths involved fentantyl. That is a slight decrease from the previous year. However, overdose deaths linked to cocaine increased…
Read MoreDel. Public Health Director Dr. Karyl Rattay Steps Aside In June
Delaware’s Public Health Director for nearly 14 years plans to step down June 30th. Dr. Karyl Rattay’s tenure is bracketed by two pandemics: H1N1 in 2009 and COVID-19 the past two years. Rattay said she is not ready to announce her future role, but is excited about new opportunities and that it’s a good time…
Read MoreDPH Reports Delaware’s 1st Flu-Related Death Of Current Flu Season
Delaware Public Health is reporting the first confirmed flu-related death of the current influenza season.A 54-year-old Kent County woman who became infected with Influenza A died in early April. DPH said she had underlying health conditions and was not vaccinated.There have been nearly 1,200 lab-confirmed cases of flu in Delaware as of April 2nd. 361…
Read MoreGov. Carney Revises, Extends Public Health Emergency Order
Delaware’s Public Health Emergency Order was revised and extended for 30 days Thursday by Governor John Carney. State law requires that a public health emergency declaration be extended every 30 days. According to Carney’s office, the action allows the State of Delaware and medical providers to continue COVID-19 vaccination and testing programs and allows staffing…
Read MoreDHSS Offers Naloxone Training This Month In Sussex Co.
Free training in the use of Naloxone, a medication proven effective in reversing the effects of an opioid overdose, will be offered in Delaware this month and in April. The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services’ Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health will make training available in Georgetown, Lewes, Seaford and Ocean View.…
Read MoreP-EBT Program Returns For ’21-22 School Year
Delaware households with children affected by school closures or reduced in-person hours or attendance caused by COVID-19 will receive emergency food assistance benefits under the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program. Eligible households will receive P-EBT benefits for each school day that their child did not receive meals at school during the current school year…
Read MoreDel. Auditor McGuiness Granted Special Counsel In DHSS Case
Delaware State Auditor Kathy McGuiness said Thursday that the Auditor’s Office has been granted permission to hire outside counsel in its ongoing effort to seek Medicaid eligibility records from the Department of Health and Social Services. McGuiness has said she and her staff have been trying for months to get documents for an audit, and…
Read MoreDel. Legislation Would Ensure Health Insurance For All Children, Sponsors Say
All children in Delaware would be ensured of health insurance coverage under legislation introduced Tuesday as the Cover All Delaware Children Act. Sponsors of the bill said the Department of Health and Social Services would be directed to develop and operate a medical coverage program for children who are nototherwise covered, including children who are…
Read MoreWhere Can The Homeless Find Shelter From The Cold?
Shelters for the homeless are open and available during the winter, thanks to volunteers and the non-profit Code Purple. Beds can be found on a nightly basis, but capacity at shelters is limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to maintain social distance. If you encounter a homeless person, the Delaware Housing Alliance…
Read More100,000+ Have Been Referred Through Del. Treatment & Referral Network
A system that refers Delawareans in search of substance use and mental health services has now made more than 100,000 referrals. According to Delaware Health and Social Services, the Delaware Treatment and Referral Network helps people get access to treatment and get them on the road to recovery. It was established in October 2018. “This…
Read MoreDel. COVID-Related Hospitalizations Climb Close To 500 Statewide
Delaware concludes 2021 with 485 people in hospitals statewide for COVID-19 complications, the highest number yet since the beginning of the pandemic. Also, on Wednesday, a one-day record for new confirmed cases was set with 3,381. Delaware Public Health has warned of a high risk of transmission at indoor gatherings over the New Year’s weekend,…
Read MoreRecent Md., Del. Scams Harass By Test, Phone
Scams take no break during the holidays… The Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division said Tuesday that a phone scam has been recently reported. Some citizens are getting calls from a number that looks to be from the Sheriff’s Office. The recipient is told that he or she missed a court date, and is…
Read MoreCOVID-19 Vax Available For Homebound Delawareans
Delawareans who are not able to get out for a COVID-19 vaccination can now arrange to get the shot by calling a new toll-free number. Delaware Health and Social Services announced Tuesday that the service is available for eligible seniors and people with disabilities who may be homebound or people with a serious illness. DHSS…
Read MoreARPA Funds Directed Toward Del. Healthcare Workforce Recruitment, Retention
Delaware hospitals, long-term care facilities and state-operated 24 / 7 facilities will be eligible for a share of American Rescue Plan Act funding to boost their work forces. Governor John Carney said Wednesday that more than $75-million in financial support will go toward recruitment and retention incentives for Delawareans who have and are working on…
Read MoreMixed Results in Del. Cancer Mortality Study
Delaware is making some progress in reducing cancer mortality, but the state holds the 15th-highest rating for cancer mortality in the time frame of 2013-2017, unchanged from 2012-2016. The Division of Public Health presented its data report to the Delaware Cancer Consortium Monday. To read the report, please CLICK HERE Findings are mixed, but Health…
Read MoreDel. To Replace Hospital For The Chronically Ill Using ARPA Funds
Delaware plans to build a new State Hospital for the Chronically Ill in Smyrna, utilizing $50-million dollars in American Rescue Plan Act funding. The existing facility first opened in 1932. The Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill serves about 100 people who need skilled nursing care. Governor John Carney said construction of a new 72,000-square-foot…
Read MoreDeer In Rehoboth Area Tests Positive For Rabies
(Delaware Health officials issued the following rabies alert Friday) The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is advising Rehoboth Beach residents who live or spend time in the vicinity of Kings Creek Circle and Road 273 of a positive case of rabies in a white-tailed deer in the area. The deer was showing signs of…
Read MoreAuditor, DHSS At Standoff Over Medicaid Data
Delaware Health and Social Services and the State Auditor, Kathy McGuiness, are headed to court. McGuiness said an annual audit that examines federal programs that are administered by the state has not been able to find proof from DHSS that it effectively screens Medicaid applicants for eligibility, before approving or denying benefits. This is the…
Read MoreWest Nile Case Confirmed With Kent Co. Resident
A 69-year-old Kent County man has come down with Delaware’s first case of West Nile Virus in a person since 2018. Delaware Public Health said Friday that an epidemiological investigation is underway to determine travel history or sources that could have led to infection. West Nile is a mosquito-borne illness. There were ten cases in…
Read MoreCOVID-19 Guidelines Will Remain For Visits To Long-Term Care Facilities
Delaware’s COVID-19 State of Emergency will expire Tuesday, but guidelines that cover visitation to long-term care facilities will stay in place. According to Delaware Health and Social Services, the type of visit that’s allowed at a nursing home or assisted living facility will be determined by COVID-19 case rates in the facility and in the…
Read MoreDel. Listeria Case Linked To Multi-State Outbreak
Delaware Public Health has announced that the state has confirmed one case of Listeria in conection with an outbreak linked to recalled Tyson Foods ready-to-eat chicken products. DPH Monday said due to the small numbers of cases overall and to protect the privacy of all patients, additional information about the specific case would not be…
Read MoreDel. Exceeds Healthcare Spending Benchmarks, According To Report
Health care spending overall in Delaware topped $8.2-Billion dollars in 2019 and was up $0.6-Billion from the previous year according to Delaware’s first Benchmark Trend Report presented by Health and Social Services Secretary Molly Magarik to the Delaware Health Care Commission. Spending in 2019 was up across all categories: hospital inpatient, outpatient, physician, pharmacy and…
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